Survivors of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina received the gift of housing this Christmas.
A team of volunteers in Swannanoa, a small mountain town that was “completely wiped out” by the September storm, built 12-by-16-foot cabins to house people who lost their homes. WLOS reported.
The units, although small, are insulated and include a mini-fridge and microwave. The effort to build it is led by the nonprofit National Mental Health Alliance.
“So far we’ve been able to fit 20 people in there,” said Beth Dalton, one of the volunteers.
Orlondo Morris stays in one of the units, which was built on his grandmother’s property.
“I continue to struggle to find the words to thank the people who have been here since day one,” he said.
Morris is still putting the finishing touches on his unit, but said he plans to sleep in it on Christmas Eve with a small space heater to keep it warm.
He also plans to build a more permanent place in the cabin for his bunny.
In the photo: the temporary huts that volunteers have built so far for twenty victims of Hurricane Helene
Orlondo Morris (photo) shows the interior of the unit where he said he would spend Christmas Eve with his bunny
Mitchell Beddingfield was denied a cabin, but volunteers were able to save his home before the damage became too extensive. He could be back home in January
Dalton said there is still a waiting list of about 20 families and each unit costs about $6,000 to build.
“For me, Christmas is about being able to give,” Dalton said. ‘A restoration of hope for these families.’
The main way the housing project has connected with families in need is through various Facebook pages.
Mitchell Beddingfield was fortunate to have volunteers help him restore his home.
“I literally thank thousands of people at Christmas,” Beddingfield said.
“At first, Samaritan’s Purse came in and threw out the mud. They raised the walls four feet. Amish installed insulation and drywall.”
He said other people had donated kitchen equipment, including a stove. He lives with his pastor, but hopes to return to his renovated home in January.
Hurricane Helene’s brutal onslaught left the small mountain town of Swannanoa in ruins. The local population is just now rebuilding
Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina the hardest of all the affected states.
North Carolina had 103 confirmed storm-related deaths from Helene, far more than states like Florida (about 20 deaths) and Georgia (about 30 deaths), which are generally more accustomed to extreme weather.
A North Carolina man lost 11 family members in the devastating storm, including his parents, aunts and uncles, great aunt and uncles and cousins.
A nurse told DailyMail.com in October that hopelessness had taken root in some victims, some of whom came to her Asheville hospital with signs of an overdose or even self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Swannanoa, a town of just over 5,000 residents, was an area perhaps more devastated than any other.
In the immediate aftermath, cars were left stranded in tree branches along the flooded Swannanoa River. Houses were torn from their foundations, turned upside down or split in half. In addition, a thick layer of mud covered the entire area.
The Swannanoa River at Biltmore in nearby Asheville had reached flood levels not seen since 1791.